Research Paper 1
Summer L. Bass
GOVT 327: State and Local Government
March 30. 2020
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Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the balance of power in the American federal
system and its structure. I will be discussing the federal system’s power, where is comes from
and how it is dissolved with the federal government and among the states. Next, I will exam why
the framers dissolved the power and if it was necessary and finally give my argument for the
proper role of government.
The Federal System’s Power
The power of our federal system is designated by the constitution to either the central
government or to the state government. The model of dual federalism holds that the national and
state governments are sovereign and equal within their respective spheres of authority as set forth
in the Constitution.0 In our federal system we have two types of power exclusive powers and
concurrent powers. Exclusive power is for the federal or state governments. Concurrent power is
for the federal and state governments.
The Structure of the Federal Government
The federal government is structured into three branches, the legislative, executive and
judicial. Each of these branches serve great purpose and the three of them together give a good
checks and balances for the federal government. The legislative branch is better known to us as
the House of Representatives and the Senate or The United States Congress. The executive
branch is made up of the president, vice president, the president’s cabinet, the executive
departments, independent agencies and boards, commissions and committees. The judicial
branch is better known as the Supreme court and the federal courts. Each branch has duties that it
carries out to make sure that our federal system is working. The legislative branch drafts laws,
0 Bowman, A., Kearny, R., 2017, State and Local Government, 10th Edition, MindTap,
Cengage Learning, 2-3a
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confirms or rejects nominations for federal positions and it has the authority to declare war. The
executive branch carries out and enforces the laws that are put out by the legislative branch. The
judicial branch interprets the meaning of the laws and decides if laws violate the Constitution.
All three branches are very different but they each need one another to work effectively.
Dissolved Power
The tenth amendment gives reserved powers. The power is reserved to the states if the
powers are not delegated to the federal government by the constitution or prohibited by the
constitution to the states. It remains a government of limited and enumerated powers, so that the
first question involving an exercise of federal power is not whether it violates someone’s rights,
but whether it exceeds the national government’s enumerated powers.0
Framers Role
The framers dissolved the power with the tenth amendment for the purpose that they did
not want to give all the power to the federal government. The Supremacy clause decides who has
the true power when it comes to states rights or federal power. The supreme court rulings do
change over time due to the fact that supreme court justices are appointed positions and that it
depends on the presidency that is appointing opened positions and the views that a particular
justice may have when it comes to interrupting the law. I do think that it was necessary for the
framers to dissolve the power. With the federal government having three different branches this
allowed states to have local levels of governments and gave the states freedom to set their own
laws that abide by the constitution and if they are ever needed the supreme court is there to rule
if the such laws should not be set at a state level but at a federal level.
0 "10Th Amendment | The National Constitution Center", Constitutioncenter.Org, last modified
2020, accessed March 31, 2020, https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-
constitution/interpretation/amendment-x/interps/129.
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The Proper Role of Government
When you think of the role of the government you think of the federal level of
government, the state level and the local level of government. I think the way our government is
set up in America is the proper way and that the role that each level of government is set
accordingly to the level that it is at. I found research that shows what some view as the roles of
the federal government and how American’s think the federal government is doing. Americans
are nearly unanimous in favoring a role for the federal government in keeping the country safe
from terrorism: 94% say it should play a major role, while 5% say it should play a minor role.
Overwhelming majorities of more than 90% also say the federal government should play a major
or minor role in other areas, including responding to natural disasters (98%), protecting the
environment (96%), managing the immigration system (96%) and strengthening the economy
(95%). For each of these areas, seven-in-ten or more say the federal government should play a
“major” role, with far fewer saying it should play a “minor” role.0
To me the proper role of the government is to establish justice, and to make sur that we
have communal and individual rights as American’s. A great example to me would be the right to
a trial by jury, that shows me justice working. We live in a country where we have the freedom to
practice any religion we wish and to pray to any God we choose. The greater good is looked after
in America and that to me would the proper role of the government in America. It is not about me
it is about us all as American’s.
0 "3. Views Of Government's Performance And Role In Specific Areas", Pew Research Center -
U.S. Politics & Policy, last modified 2020, accessed March 31, 2020, https://www.people-
press.org/2015/11/23/3-views-of-governments-performance-and-role-in-specific-areas/.
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Bibliography
"3. Views Of Government's Performance And Role In Specific Areas". Pew Research Center - U.S.
Politics & Policy. Last modified 2020. Accessed March 31, 2020. https://www.people-
press.org/2015/11/23/3-views-of-governments-performance-and-role-in-specific-areas/.
"10Th Amendment | The National Constitution Center". Constitutioncenter.Org. Last modified 2020.
Accessed March 31, 2020. https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-
constitution/interpretation/amendment-x/interps/129.
Bowman, A., Kearny, R., 2017, State and Local Government, 10th Edition, MindTap,
Cengage Learning.
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